1. Field of Invention
This invention pertains generally to trailers for carrying large, heavy loads and, more particularly, to a gooseneck trailer having actuators for engaging and disengaging the coupling links that secure the gooseneck and trailer deck together and for operating a latch mechanism that provides longitudinal coupling between the gooseneck and deck.
2. Related Art
Trailers for transporting construction equipment and other large, heavy loads typically have elongated decks supported toward the rear by ground engaging wheels, with means toward the fronts of the decks for connecting the trailers to tractors or other pulling vehicles. In some instances, the connection is made with a gooseneck which can be detached from the deck to allow the equipment to be loaded onto the deck from the front. One example of a trailer with a detachable gooseneck is found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,326,572.
The gooseneck and deck of a gooseneck trailer typically have inclined surfaces which mate together when the gooseneck is attached to the deck, with coupling links encircling pins on the gooseneck and deck to hold the surfaces together in load supporting relationship. Longitudinal coupling is provided by a latch mechanism on the trailer deck which engages laterally extending coupling lugs which depend from the gooseneck toward the rearmost end of the mating surfaces. The coupling links and latch mechanism are commonly operated by hand which requires the driver or other personnel to manually move the coupling links and engage or disengage the latch mechanism each time the gooseneck is attached to or detached from the deck of the trailer.